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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29819532">Fighting Spirits</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/the_eye_of_the_panda/pseuds/the_eye_of_the_panda'>the_eye_of_the_panda</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Dragon Ball</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Action, F/M, Martial Arts, Romance, Tenkaichi Budokai | World Martial Arts Tournament</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-03-03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-05-06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-15 19:46:24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>15,880</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29819532</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/the_eye_of_the_panda/pseuds/the_eye_of_the_panda</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Some time later, Gohan would learn that Saiyans like strong women. That must be why he couldn't take his eyes off that girl as she kicked some giant's ass. What happens when she hires him for his expertise? No high school, no superhero, no double identity, no Buu. But then, what's left? Read and find out.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Videl Satan &amp; Son Gohan, Videl Satan/Son Gohan</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>20</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Her movements were swift and effective, and the way she delivered every attack was calculated and full of grace. Sitting on a bench at the town park, Gohan watched the demonstration in silent awe. The dark-haired girl was only human and she obviously never heard about ki, but her talent for martial arts was undeniable.</p><p>She was currently leading a free self-defense class for kids under thirteen in the park, showing them how to best disable an attacker whose role was played by a gigantic and muscular man wearing protective gear. He still winced every time the young woman hit him and did not look like he enjoyed his job very much. She, herself, was wearing a white kimono with a black belt, and her raven hair was tied up in a ponytail.</p><p>The palm of her hand impacted with his chin with such force that the man rose from the grass and crashed a few feet away. The kids cheered while the girl shot them a cocky smirk before explaining her move to the class.</p><p>Gohan's lips parted and blood rushed to his face. The way she fought was just so… captivating. He couldn't tear his eyes away from her, and hadn't been able to for the whole duration of the class. Watching her effortlessly beat up that mountain of a man was making his heart react in a very odd way.</p><p>"Well, kids, I think my assistant has had enough for today," she announced, to which the children groaned in disappointment. Gohan thought they demonstrated how he felt quite accurately.</p><p>The young woman chuckled. "Well, come back next Saturday for a new lesson," she said, to which the kids cheered. Everyone packed up and left, bidding enthusiastic goodbyes to the girl.</p><p>Gohan stayed on his bench. The girl took off the top of her kimono, leaving her with white pants and a fitted tank top. She started stretching; Gohan looked away with a blush, as he didn't want to seem like a creep.</p><p>He shot glances her way now and again. After stretching, the girl started doing tai chi, and this time Gohan wasn't able to look away, entranced by her graceful movements. It reminded him of the time his mother taught him tai chi as a kid and how they would practice together. They still did that from time to time today, but Gohan had been too busy with his studies for the past years to join his mother and younger brother in their morning routine anymore.</p><p>Watching the young woman, he realized that he missed doing tai chi with them. Gohan smiled to himself and decided to make more time to spend with his mother and brother.</p><p>She was so talented, that girl. It made him wonder how strong she could be if she learned about ki and had had proper training. She could easily learn how to fly and shoot ki-blasts, and she could even master ki-sensing. She might have ended up stronger than Krillin if she had been trained properly.</p><p>Watching her do tai chi was so relaxing. It was like her calm aura was spreading all around her, lessening any weight one may have in their chest.</p><p>She blew a long breath as she straightened up and slowly lowered her hands in front of her in a final movement. Then she put her fist in her open palm and bowed. A few people around her clapped, as her skillful routine had attracted more than Gohan's attention, and the young woman smiled. Gohan joined in, whole-heartedly applauding the impressive performance.</p><p>For the first time since he stumbled on her self-defense class and decided to sit and watch, her vibrant blue eyes stopped on him. Gohan felt his face burn up like a wildfire and he couldn't look away as their gazes locked.</p><p>When the girl finally turned away, Gohan sucked in a sharp breath ━ he hadn't realized he had been holding it.</p><p>He watched her pack her bag with a pang in his chest. Should he take this chance to go talk to her? He wasn't sure why, but Gohan felt like if he let this girl go without doing anything he was going to regret it.</p><p>He stood and took a few tentative steps towards her. The young woman straightened up shouldering her sports bag, and turned her head to him when he entered her field of vision. Her cunning gaze made him stop in his tracks. He was losing his nerve.</p><p>"So, did you like my little show?" she asked him with a smirk.</p><p>"Y-Yeah. Very much so," he heard himself say in reply. He swallowed as her blue eyes sucked him in. His face heated up some more. How could she have so much effect on him? "You're, um… very talented."</p><p>"Thanks." She still had that cocky smirk on her face, as though she was thinking, "Yeah, I know."</p><p>He cleared his throat. "Watching you reminded me that I should practice my tai chi more often."</p><p>She seemed to pause, and then she looked him up and down. "You know tai chi?" She didn't sound convinced.</p><p>Maybe it was the buttoned-up shirt and the tie he was wearing, not to mention his glasses. Gohan supposed he probably looked like someone who did nothing but have his nose buried in books. Which wasn't too far from the truth nowadays, for that matter.</p><p>"Would you believe me if I told you I also know martial arts?"</p><p>Her eyebrows raised and she blinked at him. "You do? Seriously?"</p><p>He chuckled in amusement. Some tension was leaving his muscles. "What, is it that hard to believe?"</p><p>She cracked an awkward smile and scratched her cheek. "Sorry. You don't really look like someone who can fight at first glance."</p><p>"In my defense, neither do you."</p><p>She smirked at that. "Heh. Good point."</p><p>Was he grinning? His cheeks felt really stretched out. He must be grinning.</p><p>"Are you good?" she asked, a curious glint in her eyes. "I'm always looking for new sparring partners, but I rarely find anyone who can be a real challenge to me."</p><p>"I may be a bit rusty," he answered honestly, though he hid the fact that even rusty his level was still ways above any human on this planet. "But I think I could prove to be a challenge to you."</p><p>This could be his chance to see her again. Gohan may not understand why he felt this way, but he did know he didn't want this encounter to be their only one.</p><p>Her eyes lit up in excitement and defiance. She put down her bag, took a few steps back and dropped into a fighting stance. "Only one way to find out."</p><p>While he wasn't a fan of the idea of fighting her, Gohan knew it was his best chance to keep seeing this girl. However, he had something else in mind before getting to the friendly spar.</p><p>"Well, that's not very fair. I didn't even stretch while you got plenty of exercises done." Not that he needed to for something like this, but it was part of his plan. "How about we do a tai chi routine together first?"</p><p>The girl straightened up and nodded. "Sounds good. Take the lead. I want to see what you can do."</p><p>"Okay."</p><p>Gohan untightened his tie and took it off, putting it aside on the grass. Next, he took off his shoes and socks, undid the first few buttons of his shirt, and rolled up his sleeves. Finally, he removed his glasses and put them by his shoes and tie.</p><p>He gave the girl a sideways glance. "Ready?"</p><p>She blinked, then shook her head sharply and nodded in acquiescence. Gohan raised an eyebrow at her, confused by her reaction ━ was that a blush on her cheeks? And then he simply shrugged it off and got started. He blew a long breath and began the routine. The young woman replicated his every move perfectly, and he felt their energy flow together in complete harmony.</p><p>He was completely relaxed when they were done. They bowed to each other, and once again a few people around them, not the same ones as before, applauded the synchronized performance. The young woman gave him a sideways smile.</p><p>"If you're as good a fighter as you are at tai chi, I might finally get a decent spar with you."</p><p>He cracked a half-smile. "Guess you're going to find out."</p><p>They stood some distance apart and got down to their fighting stances. Gohan focused on his ki and lowered it as much as he could. He had to be extra careful or this friendly spar could end with a trip to the hospital.</p><p>She rushed him, going on the offensive, and Gohan stepped to the side to dodge and gave her outstretched arm a light push to make her lose her balance. The girl hopped on one foot, did a half spin and caught herself; Gohan used the opening in her defense to push his palm onto her stomach, throwing her back a few steps.</p><p>She sucked in a sharp breath, rubbing her abdomen, while Gohan calmly dropped in his stance once more.</p><p>She smirked. "You're good. I have a feeling I won't need to hold back with you." She got down to her own fighting stance.</p><p>He chuckled, almost cockily. "Maybe, yeah."</p><p>She attacked again, and Gohan could feel an increase in her speed and the force of her hits as he blocked them. He smirked. So she was getting serious. She was a strong one, this girl, that was for sure; he could feel it with every impact of her attacks as he parried them.</p><p>He wondered how old she was, and since when she had been training in martial arts, because surely she must have spend years to hone her skills and get to this level. She looked about his age, then again he couldn't be sure because they were at that period where they could pass off as teens just as well as young adults in their mid-twenties.</p><p>As he kept dodging and blocking every one of her attempts at hitting him, Gohan decided to strike up a conversation.</p><p>"I forgot to ask you your name," he pointed out.</p><p>She let out a yell as she leaped and tried to throw a roundhouse kick at him, but Gohan blocked it yet again, her leg impacting with his forearm. She dropped back on her feet and attacked him with a punch this time; Gohan caught it in his palm, and she immediately followed up with her other fist, which he caught as well.</p><p>"I'm Gohan," he said.</p><p>She struggled against his hold, her eyes narrowing to slits as she observed him carefully.</p><p>"I'm… Videl," she gritted out, still trying to break free. Then her knee went up, aiming at his chin, and Gohan had to let her go to dodge by taking a step back, while she used the momentum to do lean back, leaning onto her hands before doing a flip and landing on her feet.</p><p>He smiled at her as he dropped in his fighting stance. "Nice to meet you, Videl."</p><p>"Pleasure is all mine," she replied with a smirk, getting down in her own stance. "You're incredibly strong. You might be the strongest fighter I've ever faced ━ and I was a semi-finalist at the last world tournament."</p><p>He blinked at the information. "How old are you, exactly?"</p><p>She didn't reply and rushed him once more instead. Gohan dodged everything she threw at him this time, not bothering to pretend he needed to block her attacks.</p><p>Her speed increased with every second. Gohan raised his eyebrows; the girl's determination didn't deter for one moment; it seemed to get fiercer with every failed attack, even.</p><p>He jumped back to dodge a kick.</p><p>"Aw, man, I can't even touch you," she said, panting with her hands on her knees. "How can you be so fast?"</p><p>"Speed was always my strong point."</p><p>"I'm nineteen, by the way," she finally answered. She wiped her forehead with the back of her hand.</p><p>So she is my age, Gohan thought. Well, the age on my ID, that is.</p><p>She seemed ready for a break, so Gohan relaxed his stance and moved closer to her.</p><p>"Where did you learn how to fight?" Videl asked. She sat on the grass by her sports bag and got out two water bottles, handing one out to him. He smiled as he gratefully accepted the drink and sat down beside her.</p><p>"It's a long story," he replied as he twisted the cap. "The way I got into martial arts wasn't quite conventional, to say the least."</p><p>Videl pulled back the water bottle and wiped her mouth with the back of her wrist. She quirked her eyebrows at him. "Care to develop on that?"</p><p>Gohan gave her a mysterious smile. "Maybe after we get to know each other better."</p><p>"Heh. Fair enough."</p><p>"What about you? You really impressed me."</p><p>"Well, I wouldn't be good at my job if I didn't. I'm a professional martial artist. I placed third at the last world tournament." She frowned as her eyes glazed over, no doubt thinking back of that day. "I only lost because I was careless. I should've won that year, but I got overconfident and lost by ring out at the semi-finals. I'm not making that mistake again this year."</p><p>His gaze raised to the sky, a thoughtful expression taking up his features. "Yeah, I know the feeling."</p><p>"You? Getting overconfident, you mean? I find that hard to believe."</p><p>He looked over at her and gave her a half-smile, the light in his eyes subdued. "You'd be surprised."</p><p>Their gazes locked, and Gohan found himself getting lost in the deep blue of her big, bright eyes. They were so beautiful. He was getting breathless.</p><p>"Your book sure doesn't match your cover, you know that?" she said in a playful tone, breaking the eye contact and letting out a chuckle.</p><p>"Some of it does match, though." He adverted his gaze and scratched his cheek, his face feeling a little hot. "I mean, I may know how to fight, but I'm also a scholar."</p><p>She chuckled again. Gohan glanced her way and his face got warmer. She had such a pretty smile.</p><p>"Yeah, that does match the way you look more," she agreed. "So, what do you study? Gohan, was it?"</p><p>"Science. I'm currently working on my thesis on bioengineering. I've also studied physics and astrophysics, and I'm thinking of starting cybernetics and biology next. I also work at Capsule Corp, but I only got the job because I know Bulma personally."</p><p>Videl stared at him blankly. He gave an awkward chuckle. He was used to that kind of reaction by now, but they always made him feel embarrassed and self-conscious. Even without his alien genes, Gohan would always stick out like a sore thumb among normal people. He had been homeschool for all of his childhood, then went straight to university to study for his first PhD from age fifteen. He was always the youngest among his peers, and though he was a generally likable person, Gohan just didn't fit in with the others, be it at school or at his job.</p><p>The only times he felt like he belonged was when he hung out with Goten and/or Trunks, who were demi-Saiyans like him. And even then, Gohan still didn't quite fit in because, unlike him, the boys loved fighting more than anything.</p><p>"Are you some kind of genius? How old are you anyway?"</p><p>"We're the same age." He scratched the back of his head and lowered his gaze, feeling a little flustered. "I'm just really good at studying."</p><p>"But wait, you said you've already studied physics and astrophysics, right? Do you mean that you already have a PhD? At nineteen?"</p><p>"I'm really really good at studying…" he said meekly.</p><p>"No kidding… And you're a martial arts expert too? And you also have a job? Where do you find the time to do all of it?"</p><p>"Well, I don't train much anymore, so that gives me more time for the rest."</p><p>She frowned at that and crossed her arms. "I guess you had to sacrifice some things to advance in your academic career."</p><p>Not really a sacrifice to me, Gohan mused. He wasn't given a choice when he got into martial arts, after all; he had been pretty much thrown into it by force, and that had been okay at the time because he had the potential to be useful in battle and the Earth was in danger. Now, the world was in peace and had been so for the past decade, so Gohan didn't see the point to keep training nor did he feel like to. He didn't stop altogether though, since Goten and Trunks both loved fighting and sparring was their favorite way to spend their time. It helped him stay in shape, but he was still a bit rusty, especially compared to his level back when he had faced Cell.</p><p>"So you're a professional martial artist, then? That must be exciting," he said, changing the subject.</p><p>She smirked. "Yeah, I love it. I hesitated a lot before going pro, but in the end what I love most is to fight strong opponents."</p><p>He gave her a sideways smile. She sounds like Dad. She's probably more Saiyan-like than I ever was.</p><p>"What was your other choice? What did you hesitate with?"</p><p>"Joining the police," she replied. "I used to help them fight crime in Satan City during my high school years, back when I lived there, and I helped get the crime rate to go down, thankfully. I wouldn't have been comfortable leaving for another city if it hadn't."</p><p>He raised his eyebrows at that. "Wow. That's amazing."</p><p>"Crime here in West City doesn't seem as bad as to how it used to be in Satan City, and the police seem to handle themselves just fine here too. Fighting bad guys was fun and all, not to mention gratifying, but compared to fighting martial art experts ━ it's just not the same level."</p><p>He nodded in understanding. "Makes sense."</p><p>"I've got a match lined up in a month, for that matter. It's against a student of the Tenshinhan School of Martial Arts."</p><p>Gohan's lips parted and he stared at her. "Seriously?"</p><p>She tilted her head. "You've heard of it?"</p><p>"I… No, I didn't know he started a martial arts school… But Tenshinhan was one of my dad's best friends. I haven't seen him in years though…"</p><p>"Huh. Small world." She leaned back into her palms, her gaze rising to the sky. "Tenshinhan is a former world champion, so I can't underestimate my opponent. I've learned from my past mistakes and I'm not going to get too confident again." She looked over at him and her face hardened with determination. "Losing is not an option."</p><p>And once again, as their gazes locked, Gohan felt himself drown in the deep ocean of her blue eyes. His face heated up.</p><p>"Say…" she started, her voice low, barely above a whisper. "Would you be my new trainer?"</p><p>He pulled his head back and raised his eyebrows at the unexpected request. "Huh?"</p><p>"I'd pay you, of course." Her eyes were lighting up at the thought; she was getting excited about it, he could tell. "You're the strongest guy I've ever fought, and I'm sure you'd have a lot to teach me."</p><p>"Well… I mean, I'm kinda a little bit swamped at the moment…" He winced as he said that. Sure, it was the truth, but he was basically turning away the chance to see this girl on a regular basis, something he would very much like to.</p><p>Her face fell and she lowered her head. "Oh. Right. That's a shame…"</p><p>"Well, um… Maybe an hour a day? I think I could fit you in somewhere in my schedule… If you don't mind odd hours, that is."</p><p>Her lips broke into a broad smile. "Not at all! I'm available any time ━ it's my career, after all."</p><p>"Alright then, I guess I'm hired?"</p><p>She leaned forward and took his hand into both of hers. "Thank you so much, Gohan, I really appreciate it."</p><p>He blushed deeply. Gosh, she sure is pretty.</p><p>"Y-You're, um… You're welcome," he mumbled awkwardly. His gaze dropped to her hands, still holding one of his. They were strong yet soft ━ her hands. The contact was making his skin tingle. "I could use the extra paycheck anyway to help out my mom. I may be on a scholarship but we still got bills."</p><p>She pulled back and let out an amused chuckle. "Scholarship, huh? It figures."</p><p>He scratched the back of his head and gave an awkward smile, his cheeks still red.</p><p>He believed that Videl would benefit greatly from his experience, especially if her next challenger was a student of Tenshinhan's. Come to think of it, it was very likely that Tenshinhan would have taught his students about ki- control, so Videl would have been at a great disadvantage in a fight against someone like that.</p><p>He should teach her about ki then, shouldn't he? If she was to have a real shot at winning her upcoming fight, she had to be on the same level as her opponent at the very least.</p><p>Well, learning how to control one's ki was a martial arts method after all, so even though Mr. Satan had the world convinced that anything ki-related was fake, Videl seemed like a smart enough person to see the truth when confronted with it. He was sure she would be open to the idea. He would just need to show her to prove to her that it was real anyway, right?</p><p>"So, when are you free tomorrow for our first session?" she asked.</p><p>He tilted his head and looked sideways, taking a moment to think about it. "My first class starts at ten, so I have time early in the morning."</p><p>"Great. Does eight sound okay to you?"</p><p>He nodded his head. "Eight it is."</p><p>She asked for his number then, and Gohan blushed slightly as he saved it in her phone. When he handed it back to her, Videl called him so that he could save her number too.</p><p>He looked at the time on the screen of his phone and grimaced. "Dang, I gotta go. Bulma asked me to stop by today to help out."</p><p>He put his shoes back on and stood; Videl followed suit. His heart picked up as she smiled up at him.</p><p>"Well, it was really nice meeting you, Gohan."</p><p>"Right back at you," he replied, putting his tie around his collar and doing the knot absent-mindedly. He was drowning in her deep blue eyes again.</p><p>"I'm looking forward to learning from you."</p><p>He nodded his head, put his glasses back on his nose, and started walking away. He looked at her over his shoulder and raised his hand in salute. "See you tomorrow."</p><p>She waved back at him with a bright smile. He blushed more, then turned away to look ahead of him as he picked up the pace.</p><p>He smiled to himself.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Gohan sank into the armchair and raised his head; his eyes closing, he heaved out a sigh. He heard a platter being put down on the coffee table and opened his eyes to give Bulma a smile as thanks. Leaning over, he took one of the steaming cups of tea.</p><p>Helping Bulma on her current project took longer than he expected, so his boss and long-time friend offered to make some tea and relax before he went on his way, which the young scientist had been more than happy to accept.</p><p>He glanced out the window to his left. The sky was pitch black and despite the absence of clouds, only the brightest stars were visible in the big city. Usually, he would get home from work before sundown and work on his thesis before bed, but today Gohan felt like his brain was in overdrive after working all evening with his boss. He planned to go straight to bed once he got home.</p><p>"How's your thesis going?" Bulma asked, making small talk as they relaxed in the living room of Capsule Corp. She blew on her steaming cup and sipped slowly on the warm and comforting beverage.</p><p>"I still have a long way to go, but I'm getting there. I should be done soon enough."</p><p>Bulma smirked. "If you'd started university early like I did, you could've been done with school by the time you turned sixteen."</p><p>Gohan chuckled. "I'm not as gifted as you, Bulma, I'm not sure I could've pulled that off."</p><p>"Pishposh," Bulma waved him off. "You might be even more gifted than me. Maybe it's because you're younger, but sometimes it feels like you get stuff much faster than me. People think you got your job because you know me, but after they see you at work they quickly change their mind."</p><p>Gohan blushed humbly and looked down, focusing on his cup. "Anyway, I couldn't leave Mom on her own to take care of Goten and everything back then, so being homeschooled was the best decision. Besides, I'm still the youngest in my course." He cracked an awkward smile and scratched the back of his head. "I wouldn't want to stand out even more…"</p><p>His friend gave him a fond smile. "You stand out because you're special, Gohan. Never be embarrassed about being the smartest person in the room. You know I never am," she added with a playful wink. Gohan laughed slightly.</p><p>"That's certainly true."</p><p>They fell silent after that, sipping on their cups while enjoying each other's company; they didn't feel the need to fill the air with noise and chatter.</p><p>Soon Gohan's thoughts drifted to earlier today, at the park, and to the pretty girl who seemed to love fighting more than anything. A small smile tugged on his lips. She sure was something else, that Videl. Her talent was undeniable, and he was quite eager to help her become even better and tap into all of her potential.</p><p>"Did you know Tenshinhan runs a martial arts school?" Gohan asked out of the blue, his train of thought making him think of his father's old friend.</p><p>Bulma looked over at him and nodded her head. "I helped him start the school, actually."</p><p>Gohan raised his eyebrows. "You did? You're still in contact with him, you mean? I haven't seen him since the day of the Cell Games."</p><p>"Well, he's one of my oldest friends, so we kept in touch." Bulma rolled her eyes as she continued, "Well, obviously I reached out to him first; Tenshinhan isn't very good at keeping up with his friends. It was a few years after the Cell Games, I figured he'd been brooding in his corner for long enough so I looked for him. After some time, he told me about his wish to start his own martial arts school; he got fed up with Mr. Satan who has been badmouthing ki-use, and he wanted to normalize it in the martial arts world. He didn't want to accept my help at first, but me becoming an investor was the only way to fund his school so he eventually agreed."</p><p>"Huh." Gohan blinked. "How come you never told me?"</p><p>Bulma shrugged. "It's not like you were that close to him, not how you are to me or Krillin or Piccolo, so I guess I just didn't think of bringing him up to you."</p><p>The young scientist frowned, but he couldn't refute his friend's words. He had met Tenshinhan for the first time when Vegeta and Nappa had attacked the Earth. They hadn't even exchanged a word back then, or if they did Gohan didn't remember. What he did recall was how intimidated and impressed he'd been by the three-eyed fighter, and relieved too, when Tenshinhan easily beat one of the Saibaimen.</p><p>Gruesome images flashed in his head. Nappa cutting off Tenshinhan's arm. Chaozu self-destructing to try and save him but failing to affect the Saiyan in the slightest. Piccolo's plan to attack Nappa. The terror he felt at that moment, paralyzing him when he should've helped. But he was only five at the time, and Nappa was so powerful and scary. Gohan had been unable to move.</p><p>He closed his eyes with a wince as he saw Tenshinhan play his last card, using the Kikoho, a technique that was extremely dangerous for its user. But it was his only chance, the last thing he could try ━ and it failed, again. It barely phased Nappa, but the technique drained the life out of the Earthling warrior.</p><p>Gohan remembered how helpless he'd felt. The guilt pressed heavily onto his chest. If he hadn't been so scared at that moment, Tenshinhan wouldn't have died back then. Maybe he could have survived the horrible battle against the Saiyans, even, and go with them to Namek. Not that Namek had been a fun adventure, but at least he would've had a chance.</p><p>Bulma set her cup on the coffee table, a frown of worry creasing her brow. "Gohan?"</p><p>He massaged his forehead. "Sorry, I think I spaced out." He leaned back on the chair and sighed deeply, staring aimlessly at the ceiling. "I guess you're right. I was never close to Tenshinhan. He died when I first met him and even after he came back, I would be training with my dad and Piccolo or studying rather than getting to know him, and he would be busy with his own training."</p><p>"Well, it's not like he's the kind of person to make the effort to spend time with his friends," Bulma offered with a kind smile. "If you don't look for him, he's not going to go look for you."</p><p>"I guess that's true."</p><p>Gohan fell silent, his brow furrowing slightly, getting lost in his thoughts again. Bulma picked up her cup and sipped on the warm beverage without saying a word. Gohan finished his own tea as he came to a decision.</p><p>He set the cup on the coffee table and turned to Bulma. "Could you tell me where his school is?"</p><p>She smiled. "Sure. I'm sure he'll be happy to see you. He asks about you sometimes."</p><p>He was getting excited about this. "Thanks, Bulma."</p><hr/><p>It had been a year since Videl moved to West City. She made the trip here for a match back then, and she just fell in love with the bustling metropolis. Satan City paled in comparison. The West Capitol was so much bigger, younger, and livelier, and it had a futuristic feel to it, with the numerous skyscrapers, the tube-like, sinuous roads hanging high in the sky, the lights, the giant screens everywhere, the culture…</p><p>And the anonymity. In such a big city, it was so much easier to be invisible. Here, while Videl still got recognized occasionally, such occurrences were not that common. Unlike in Satan City, which was not only renamed after none other than her father, but where she was famous for aiding the police fight crime on a regular basis, in West City, she was more known as a martial artist in her own right, and only the people who followed the sport would recognize her. And that didn't happen all that often.</p><p>The press and the paparazzi, however, knew her a little too well, and they didn't care if they invaded her privacy. But Videl knew that was just part of the job. As a professional fighter, and a successful one at that, the recognition and glory that came with it was inevitable. Videl had had some training in dealing with that kind of thing, what with growing up as the daughter of "the man who saved the world", so she was used to it by now. She could've done without the celebrity status and all, sure, but it didn't bother her all that much anymore. She had learned to live with it.</p><p>What she had more trouble getting used to, however, was living in a new city where she didn't know anyone. All of her friends were in Satan City, and Videl had never been the kind of person who could make friends easily.</p><p>She sat at the bar, twirling the straw in her drink, and heaved a deep sigh. She missed her friends. Sure, they still called each other and kept in touch, and sometimes they would visit her or vice versa, but it wasn't the same.</p><p>Some guys from the gym invited her to have drinks after training, and Videl suspected that they were just being nice and tried to include her. Watching them banter and joke together without paying her any mind confirmed her suspicion.</p><p>Well, she couldn't hold it against them. She had accepted the invitation in hope of making new friends, but the guys from her gym were just too different from her. They were all much older and had interests that Videl couldn't care less about. Aside from martial arts, they had nothing in common.</p><p>She smiled politely while they guffawed at a joke she didn't listen to, watching them as they exchanged strong pats on the back and playful jibs, but she just couldn't get into it.</p><p>Glancing at her watch, she surmised that she had hung out with them long enough and informed the group that she had an early day tomorrow and that she'd better go home and turn in.</p><p>The guy over-acted their reluctance to her go, but they all knew they didn't really care and wouldn't be missing her.</p><p>Videl breathed a sigh of relief when she was finally out of the pub. A cool breeze gave her a shiver, and she zipped up her jacket, put her hands in her pockets and dug her head between her shoulders, trying to keep herself warm. Spring had just begun, and while on sunny days it was pretty warm out, the nights were still pretty chilly.</p><p>Luckily, she lived only a few blocks away, and soon enough Videl was back in her apartment and taking off her shoes and jacket. Her place was spacious and modern, with sleek furniture, the latest high technology devices, and some tasteful decoration. Her career was going great, and she hadn't needed a cent from her father to afford her current living situation.</p><p>She went to her room to change into her pajamas, mostly to be more comfortable and especially to get out of her constricting bra ━ how she hated those things. Then she went back to the living room, plopped down on the couch, put her feet up on the coffee table and grabbed the remote to turn on the TV.</p><p>This was how she usually spent her nights. Videl was more of an introvert and she enjoyed being by herself, but, after a while, it could get a little lonely.</p><p>She watched a few episodes of the comedy show she was currently into, forgetting about her worries as she laughed at the funny jokes, and then she turned off the TV, went to the bathroom to wash up, and got ready for bed. It was almost eleven o'clock.</p><p>Lying in the dark with nothing to distract her mind, Videl found herself thinking back to the guy that she met earlier today. Her first thought when she saw him was that he was pretty cute. The awkward way he interacted with her confirmed that thought ━ and then Gohan got ready for their spar. To get more comfortable, he took off his tie, his glasses, undid the first buttons of his shirt, and rolled up his sleeves, and Videl had felt her throat tighten and her face burn up. His disheveled look caught her off guard, and she found herself staring. Gohan wasn't just cute ━ he was <em>hot</em>.</p><p>She smiled to herself as she replayed their encounter in her head. It had been a while since she met someone and instantly clicked with them. It was so easy to talk with Gohan, and Videl regretted that they didn't get to spend that much time together.</p><p>He certainly impressed her during their spar. Videl was pretty sure that she had never faced someone so strong in her life, including during the last Tenkaichi Budokai. And that was being "rusty" to him? Had he been bragging? It didn't seem that way, nor did it feel like Gohan's style to brag. He had been so humble about his academic career.</p><p>To think that he was her age and already working on getting his third PhD! And he planned to get more of them, too. He was undoubtedly a genius, not to mention an extraordinary fighter.</p><p>She was glad that she had hired him as her new trainer, which gave her the opportunity to get to know him better. He seemed like a nice guy, and though their encounter had been brief, she had enjoyed spending time with him. Videl smiled at the thought.</p><p>It had been pretty lonely, moving to a new city where she didn't know anyone. She didn't go to school anymore so making new friends was more difficult, especially with people her age. The only place she went to regularly was the prestigious martial arts gym, and most of the people there were older than her. Which made sense, since it usually took most professional fighters a while to get to her level.</p><p>But now she met Gohan, a guy her age that was easy to talk to, and Videl could see them becoming good friends. And, who knew, maybe Gohan could introduce her to other people that she could get along with. She would finally have a social life again.</p><p>She was fine being alone, sure, but after a whole year of only having long-distance friendships, it did get pretty lonely.</p><p>Videl turned on her side, hugging her comforter, and closed her eyes. She saw Gohan's cute smile in her head and her lips curled up in a smile. It was a nice feeling, making a new friend. Not only that, but Gohan was going to help her become a better martial artist. She couldn't wait to start training with him tomorrow.</p><hr/><p>Gohan had texted her an address and told her to meet him on the rooftop. She took her jetcopter and got on her way, passing over the West City University before landing on a nearby skyscraper. Videl supposed that Gohan asked her to meet him there so that he could go to class after their session without having to rush, though she wondered why he chose the roof of a skyscraper as their training ground.</p><p>He was already waiting for her when she arrived. She waved at him and he waved back, a bright smile lighting up his face. She felt her lips break out into a grin in response, and her cheeks heated up slightly.</p><p>She landed her aircraft some distance away from the young man, and he jogged up to her to greet her. She got off her jetcopter, and as she stood facing him, Videl couldn't help but notice just how much taller than her Gohan was. She had to crane her neck to look up at him; she was barely reaching his shoulders. His towering presence made her feel a bit flustered.</p><p>There was no doubting that Gohan was an attractive guy. His traits were harmonious and handsome, and he had a kind of boyish charm to him. He sure had a nice smile, too.</p><p>Videl noticed that his clothes were more casual than yesterday. While he still wore dress pants and dress shoes, he had on a simple long-sleeved shirt, tucked in of course, but the look wasn't as business-like as the suit and tie he was wearing the day before.</p><p>She, herself, had chosen to wear comfortable clothes for her training session with Gohan. She had on fitted sweat pants, a tee-shirt and a zipped-down hoodie, as well as a pair of supple sneakers. As for her shoulder-length hair, she had pulled it up in a ponytail to get it out of the way. She would rarely wear her hair down because that would be a bother.</p><p>"Did you sleep well?" Gohan asked politely after the usual greetings.</p><p>She smiled; she liked that he was well-mannered. "Not as much as I would've liked to, I'll admit, but I slept well enough"</p><p>"Oh, is it too early for you?" he asked, lines of concern creasing his brow. "We can meet in later hours in the future if you want. Resting is an important part of getting stronger."</p><p>She waved him off. "I know, and don't worry about it. I went to sleep early enough but I had a lot on my mind and had trouble falling asleep. I don't mind meeting with you early in the morning ━ I start my days early anyway, so really, it's no trouble."</p><p>His features relaxed and a gentle smile formed on his lips. "Okay, good to know."</p><p>"So!" She clapped her hands, an eager glint in her eyes. "What do you have planned for our first session? A sparring session? New moves I could use? Work out exercises?"</p><p>"Ah, no, none of that," he said with an awkward smile.</p><p>He walked away from the jetcopter and Videl followed him. Then, he sat on the ground cross-legged and motioned her to do the same in front of him. Frowning in curiosity, Videl did as she was told.</p><p>"I want to teach you something that'll be very useful to you," he said, looking at her with a serious expression. "I know for a fact that Tenshinhan teaches that to his students, and I went to see him last night to ask him some pointers on how I should proceed in teaching you."</p><p>She raised an eyebrow at him. "And he just told you? Even though I'll be going against one of his students next month?"</p><p>"Well, as he told me himself, you're going against one of his students, not against his school. Some students of his sometimes end up facing each other in classed matches, so that's no different."</p><p>She nodded. "What is it you want to teach me, then?"</p><p>He looked at her intently, his eyes dead serious. "The thing that you've been told are magic tricks." Gohan paused, letting that sink in.</p><p>Videl frowned. "You mean…"</p><p>"It's real, Videl. All of it. Everything you saw in the Cell Games broadcast… It's all real."</p><p>She stayed silent, her eyes lowering to a random spot between them as her mind reeled.</p><p>If she were to be honest, a part of her found it hard to believe her father's claims that what Cell and the unknown fighters could do were just a bunch of magic tricks. She never wanted to admit it, and she never expressed her doubts out loud to anyone, not even to her best friends, but Videl had never been fully convinced.</p><p>"Can you prove it?"</p><p>Frankly, she wouldn't be surprised if she one day found out that her father didn't kill Cell. She, more than anyone, could tell that he wasn't as strong as he pretended to be. For instance, in the last Tenkaichi Budokai, even though she lost and he won against the same opponent, he had struggled a lot more than her against that fighter. Videl was pretty sure she had long surpassed her father. This year, the championship would be hers.</p><p>Gohan's face lit up, his shining with relief. "Yes, of course!" He cupped his hands in front of him. "Here, let me show you."</p><p>A ball of light appeared between his palms. Videl's eyes widened. She got on her hands and knees to get a closer look. He was saying the truth. There was no trick. No smokes and mirrors. Gohan was producing this ball of light from his own being. He was the real deal.</p><p>"This is ki, also called life force, energy, aura… And I want to teach you how to control yours. When you do, you'll be able to adjust it to your liking, powering up to your maximum or concealing it completely; you'll also be able to use it as attacks, and to measure someone's power level, and you'll even be able to fly."</p><p>At that, Videl looked up at Gohan. The ball of ki gave him a mysterious glow.</p><p>"You can fly?" she murmured in disbelief. "You can do all that?"</p><p>The light faded out, and Gohan gave her a nod, her face serious. "Yes, I can."</p><p>Videl moved back and sat cross-legged once again. "Okay. Teach me."</p><p>He didn't say anything, watching her with careful eyes.</p><p>"You believe me," he said.</p><p>She smirked and crossed her arms. "You gave me proof. I saw it with my own eyes. Of course I believe you."</p><p>"But you… you barely doubted me." He chuckled and scratched his hair. "I mean, everyone on this planet takes everything Mr. Satan tells them at face value. You do realize that you just accepted that he's lied to the world, right?"</p><p>Videl pursed her lips. The implications of what Gohan was saying didn't fall on deaf ears. "I know what it means, yes. And to be honest, I've always had my doubts."</p><p>"But you…" Gohan swallowed and looked away, his voice lowering. "You're his daughter…"</p><p>She frowned slightly. "So you did recognize me."</p><p>She shouldn't be upset by this; it wasn't unsurprising, either. But she had liked the idea of hanging out with someone who didn't know who she really was. Someone who would want to be her friend for who she was, and not because of who her father was.</p><p>"No, I had no idea who you were when we met yesterday. I told Tenshinhan about you, and he knew who I meant since there aren't a lot of female fighters going against men, and he told me you were Mr. Satan's daughter." He gave a nervous chuckle. "It was quite a shock to me, too. I didn't even know Mr. Satan had a daughter."</p><p>Her shoulders relaxed. "Oh." Videl smiled. "Well, like you said, I'm his daughter. And as such, I, more than anyone, would know that my father isn't what he pretends to be."</p><p>He rubbed the back of his neck. "Yeah, that makes sense."</p><p>She grinned. "Well, now that's out of the way… Teach me."</p><hr/><p>Gohan had honestly thought convincing his new student that ki was real was going to be a lot harder. But Videl believed him right away, only asking for proof to make sure.</p><p>She sure was full of surprise, that girl.</p><p>He explained in more detail what ki was and how to bring it out, and then told Videl to do just that.</p><p>"Think of the feel of your energy when you do tai chi," he advised. "I'm sure you've felt it before. Now I'm asking you to tap into it and bring it out in a physical form."</p><p>Videl nodded, her face serious. She cupped her hands in front of her, like he had done minutes ago. Her features relaxed and she closed her eyes, working on bringing out her ki.</p><p>When he visited Tenshinhan last night, the martial arts master told him that ki-control would usually take his students a while, which was understandable, given the difficulty of the task. It took Master Roshi fifty years to develop his famous Kamehameha. Tenshinhan told him that most of them took weeks to bring out their ki for the first time; some would take months, but the most talented were able to accomplish the task in just a few days.</p><p>"The man Videl is to fight next month," Tenshinhan had said, "he's among the most talented. It only took him two days to bring out his ki. I have a lot of faith in him, and I believe he's good enough to become the next world champion. But I've seen her fight, too, and she's no joke. If you're really going to be training her and teaching her about ki, then I need to get him ready for her." Tenshinhan had smirked then, his three eyes shining in excitement. "It'll be a sight to see for sure. I'm looking forward to it."</p><p>It had been really nice to see Tenshinhan again after all these years. Gohan wished he had been closer to his father's friend as a kid; he had been missing out on a great friendship. Gohan had been surprised how easy it was to talk to Tenshinhan; his silent nature made him a good listener, and he reminded him of Piccolo in a lot of ways.</p><p>Well, all of his father's friends were interesting people, so it was no surprise that Tenshinhan fit the description as well.</p><p>His senses tingled, and he focused back on his new student. His lips parted and his eyes widened as just a few seconds later, a ball of ki appeared between Videl's cupped hands.</p><p>He raised his wrist and looked at his watch.</p><p>Half an hour… It took Videl just over half an over to bring out her ki for the first time. That got to be a new record, even among his father's Earthling friends.</p><p>"You… You did it…" he whispered in disbelief. "Wow, I can't believe… I…"</p><p>He chuckled and scratched the back of his head. "You are even more talented than I thought."</p><p>He couldn't wait to tell Tenshinhan about it.</p><p>The light faded out, and then Videl almost collapsed, catching herself on her hands. She was out of breath. She straightened up and frowned at her hands in what looked confusion.</p><p>"Using your ki is very draining, especially when you're new to it," Gohan explained. "But you did very, very well, Videl. As far as I know, you're one of the fastest people to have learned how to bring out your ki ━ myself included."</p><p>She smirked. "Am I, now? It wasn't that hard."</p><p>Gohan chuckled. "You certainly are something else. I guess we'll move on to the next part of your training."</p><p>"The next part?" Her eyes lit up. "Are you going to teach me how to fly?"</p><p>He grinned at her child-like excitement. It was so cute. "Not quite yet. I want you to develop and grow your ki first, to improve your stamina so that you don't feel drained every time you use your ki."</p><p>He got up and walked to the spot where he had been standing to wait for her earlier, where he'd left a sports bag. Curious, Videl stood and went after him.</p><p>"What did you bring?"</p><p>He gave a start, not expecting Videl to be standing so close next to him as she stretched out her neck to get a closer look at his bag. The proximity made him blush, and he coughed into his fist.</p><p>He took a step to the side to have more room to move, unzipped the bag, dug his hand inside and handed out a wristband to her.</p><p>"I've brought four of those, for your wrists as well as your ankles. You're to wear them all the time, especially when you're training. You can take them off to wash up and when you go to bed, of course, but other than that, you have to keep them on. And only wash them by hand. Take it; you'll see why."</p><p>Videl had him a skeptical look as she reached out to take the wristband, no doubt wondering what the big deal was. She quickly understood when she felt how much the piece of training clothing weighed.</p><p>"Wha…?"</p><p>"They each weigh ten kilos, which is a bit over twenty pounds. Wearing them will develop your stamina and your strength, and as a result your ki will grow."</p><p>A smile was starting to form on her lips. "I see. It's a bit archaic, but that kind of training method has proved to be quite effective." She raised her gaze to look at him. "Where did you get those?"</p><p>"Asked a friend of mine." Piccolo's power of materialization sure came in handy.</p><p>Videl put on the first wristband; he gave her the second one, then she put a band on her ankle, and then on her other one.</p><p>"It's not going to be easy training with these things," she commented.</p><p>"That's kinda the point," Gohan said with a smile.</p><p>She did a series of jabs and kicks, her movements naturally slowed down by the weights on her limbs.</p><p>"It's going to take some getting used to," Gohan said, "and when you are, I'll give you heavier ones."</p><p>Videl stopped testing herself and nodded at him in understanding.</p><p>"So, what now?"</p><p>He motioned to the ground again, and then both sat down once more. "Now, you learn how to control your ki properly. I don't have much time left, but since we're close to the university I can stay with you a bit longer and guide you through it."</p><p>She smiled at him. "I appreciate that."</p><p>He felt his face heat up slightly. She had a really nice smile…</p><p>He cleared his throat. "Okay, so, now that you can bring out your ki, you have to learn to control it. I want you to move it around your body ━ in each of your hands, in your chest, in your belly, in each of your legs… For example, to be able to fly, you have to direct your ki beneath you and use it to lift yourself up ━ but we're getting ahead of ourselves. Focus on controlling your ki for now."</p><p>She was fidgeting in her spot with a big smile on her face, her eyes shining in excitement. "Can you really fly? Will I really be able to?"</p><p>His eyes softened. "Yes, you will. And yes, I can. I've known since I was four, so it comes as naturally to me as raising my hand."</p><p>She blinked. "Four? Geez, no wonder you're so strong. How long did it take you to learn how to bring out your ki?"</p><p>"Ehhh…" He scratched the back of his head and gave an awkward smile. "I don't remember exactly, I was really young… But I was pretty quick, yeah."</p><p>"Quicker than me?"</p><p>He let out a chuckle. "Not by much."</p><p>They shared playful looks. Videl shook her head with a smile and focused on learning how to control her ki.</p><p>Gohan watched her carefully. She was doing it. Her ki was moving, albeit quite slowly, but she was honing it. Man, that girl was incredible. It was hard to believe she was related to someone like Mr. Satan. Sure, the current world champion was pretty strong for a human, but Videl was much stronger, and so much more talented.</p><p>She said she only lost her match at the semi-finals of the Tenkaichi Budokai because she got overconfident and careless, and Gohan wholeheartedly believed her. She should have won three years ago ━ she had been the strongest in the competition. Her lack of experience was her one shortcoming, but now Videl had learned from her past mistakes. This year, without a doubt, she would come out the winner. Videl would be the next world champion ━ and Gohan was happy to help her secure the title.</p><p>Her ki was moving faster around her body, flowing with more ease from limb to limb.</p><p>"Very good, Videl. You're improving so fast ━ I'm very impressed."</p><p>Her eyes still closed, she scrunched up her eyebrows. "You can tell?"</p><p>"I'll teach you that too in due time ━ how to sense other people's ki."</p><p>Her features relaxed as she focused on controlling her energy again.</p><p>"That's what you meant earlier when you said I could measure other people's power level?" she asked without breaking her concentration.</p><p>"Yeah. When you can sense ki, you can tell how strong someone is. But some people are able to conceal their ki, or to lower it to almost nothing. That way you can catch your opponent off guard."</p><p>"Given that they know how to sense ki."</p><p>"The man you're fighting next month can."</p><p>"As well as everything you told me I could do once I can control my ki, I assume."</p><p>He smiled. Even when in a conversation, Videl's focus hadn't wavered. "Once you control it? You already are, Videl."</p><p>She frowned slightly. "It doesn't feel natural though."</p><p>"Not yet, but that'll come with practice." He looked at his watch and grimaced. "Unfortunately, we're out of time. My first class starts in half an hour."</p><p>"Oh." She smiled in understanding. "Well, thank you for today."</p><p>They stood together ━ but Videl's knees wobbled and she stumbled. Gohan took a step towards her to catch her if she fell, but she raised a hand to stop him and regained her balance on her own, albeit on shaky legs. He cracked a smile ━ that girl was no damsel in distress. He really liked that about her.</p><p>"The weights you're carrying aren't helping, huh? Take some time to rest; you've used your ki a lot in an hour and a half."</p><p>Videl nodded her head obediently. "Yeah, I think I need a break."</p><p>"I would like you to keep practicing controlling your ki today, though," Gohan instructed. "Just make sure to take breaks and stay hydrated."</p><p>She cracked a smile. "Yes, teacher."</p><p>"And I'll start teaching you how to fly tomorrow."</p><p>As expected, her whole face lit up in excitement at the prospect. Gohan let out a chuckle. How adorable.</p><p>He scratched his hair at the side of his head. "Well, I better get going. I'll let you know later when we can meet up tomorrow."</p><p>"I'll control my ki like second nature by then," she declared with her fist raised, a defiant glint in her eyes. Gohan laughed.</p><p>"I wouldn't be surprised."</p><p>He started levitating, causing Videl to pause and stare, her lips parted.</p><p>"You really can fly…" she murmured in disbelief.</p><p>On a whim, he extended his hand. "Would you like to come fly with me? The university's close so I have a little time to spare if you'd like to see what flying is like."</p><p>He realized how bold of him that was ━ it was borderline out of character for him to do something like that. But he did have a bit of time before his first class, and with how eager Videl was to learn how to fly, and how much he enjoyed her company, how could he not ask?</p><p>Her face flushed, and so did his, but his smile never wavered, and neither did the excitement in her eyes. Videl took his hand. He felt his breath hitch at the contact. A pleasant spark ignited between their joined hands, coursing through his arm and down his spine. His heart couldn't stand in place.</p><p>He pulled her to him, lifting her from the ground, and wrapped his arms around her waist. Videl's hands ended up against his chest, and he was positive she could feel the quick and strong beat of his heart.</p><p>She was so close. Her scent was so sweet. Her body was so warm and soft and tiny. Her eyes were so big and blue and beautiful.</p><p>She was… She was perfect.</p><p>He liked her. He liked her a lot.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“So, um…”</p><p>Gohan’s gaze was inevitably drawn to her rosy lips when Videl spoke. He swallowed thickly.</p><p>“Shall we… go?” she asked, her voice hesitant, nervous. </p><p>He averted his eyes and cleared his throat, his whole face turning bright red. “Uh, yeah. Hang onto me tight.”</p><p>In response, Videl wrapped her arms around his neck. Gohan didn’t dare look back at her, feeling too flustered to meet her deep blue eyes.</p><p>He took a deep breath. “Well, here we go.”</p><p>He shot up into the sky and felt the young woman in his arms tense up. She buried her face into the crook of his neck, and Gohan felt faint. His flight flattered for a second, but the demi-Saiyan quickly regained his focus and continued going higher and higher in the sky. </p><p>They were soon surrounded by clouds and he paused in mid-air. Gohan hoped Videl could take being so high up; the oxygen was much thinner and the temperature was quite low too. He couldn’t help with the former issue, but he could at least keep her warm. He raised his ki, making sure Videl wouldn’t be cold.</p><p>“We’re so high…” she murmured in awe while looking down below at the far, far away city.</p><p>Gohan cracked a smile as he watched her. While the sight of the city from so high up amazed her, Videl was calm and didn’t seem to care that they were thousands of miles from the ground. “Guess you’re not the tiniest afraid of heights, huh?”</p><p>Videl shot him a cocky smirk. “I ain’t scared of anything.”</p><p>He smirked back, a playful glint in his eyes. “Is that so? What if I let go of you?”</p><p>But instead of blanching or panicking like any sane person would have, Videl <em>lit up</em>.</p><p>“I would love that, actually!”</p><p>He raised an eyebrow at her. “Are you serious?”</p><p>She rolled her eyes. “You’re obviously going to catch me, so what’s the big deal? I go parachute jumping all the time; it’s a super fun hobby.”</p><p>He laughed. He should’ve known. Doing something like that was so like Videl. He may have not known her for very long but having that kind of hobby fit her personality perfectly.</p><p>“Alright then.”</p><p>And so he let go of her and stopped using his ki at the same time, causing them to fall together. Like a pro, Videl was skydiving with her arms and legs spread and bent. She wasn’t even screaming, instead, she had a big smile on her lips. Gohan reached out and took her hand, causing Videl to look at him.</p><p>“So you do this as a hobby, huh?” he asked loudly to be heard over the wind whistling in their ears.</p><p>“Isn’t it awesome?” she exclaimed excitedly.</p><p>“Now I get why you’re so eager to learn how to fly!”</p><p>They laughed. Gohan didn’t want to get too close to the city and be seen, so he pulled Videl to him, her back to his front this time, and wrapped his arms around her while using his ki to fly up once more. Videl spread out her arms as he soared up the sky, pretending to be flying herself.</p><p>To make it more fun, Gohan flew in loops and zigzags, dove in a straight line faster than when they were skydiving just now, then went back up. Videl was laughing in glee; sometimes she would shriek in surprise when he would take a sharp dive.</p><p>After nearly ten minutes, Gohan reluctantly stopped the rollercoaster ride. He knew he couldn’t delay going to class any longer or he was going to be late.</p><p>Videl turned her head to meet his gaze. Her lips were spread out in the widest grin and her cheeks were flushed with glee. “That was so fun! And you’re so fast!”</p><p>He chuckled as he flew them back to the rooftop. “I told you speed was my strong point.”</p><p>He landed and let go of Videl, who took a few steps forward before turning around to face him. Gohan felt a pang in his chest; he missed holding her already.</p><p>“I had so much fun! Thank you so much, Gohan.”</p><p>He smiled, feeling his heart swell at the sight of her happy face. “You’re welcome.” He sighed. “But I really have to go now.”</p><p>Videl laughed. “Of course. Thank you for everything, Gohan.”</p><p>He started levitating again. He turned his head and gave her a sign goodbye with two fingers, and Videl waved at him.</p><p>“I look forward to our next training session.”</p><p>Gohan nodded his head. “As am I, Videl.”</p><p>And he was off, going on his way to the university. His heart felt light and he just couldn’t stop smiling. He was so happy he met Videl. She was so… peculiar. He had never come across anyone quite like her. She was immensely talented in martial arts, she was fun, she had unusual hobbies… and she was so ridiculously beautiful.</p><p>Gohan flushed brightly at the thought. The smile on his face didn’t falter in the least, however.</p><p>But, like, seriously. Videl was gorgeous. Her eyes were of the deepest blue, her skin was flawless, her traits were delicate and harmonious, and she had the most amazing smile. And when he held her in his arms… Gohan couldn’t think of a better feeling than that.</p><p>The university was in sight. Gohan landed in a deserted alley and continued on foot. He checked his watch and picked up the pace; his class started in ten minutes. </p><p>A thought crossed him, and the young man frowned. Was it inappropriate for him to be so attracted to her when she was his student? But that wasn’t the only thing she was to him. They were friends too, weren’t they? They had fun together in the sky. This wasn’t just a teacher-student relationship, right?</p><p>Maybe he should talk to her about it and make things clear. About them being friends, that is ━ not about his attraction towards her, obviously.</p><p>Gohan blushed deeply. To think he had only met her yesterday, and he liked her so much already. </p><p>He was curious as to how their relationship would develop. Would Videl grow to like him too? Did she already like him, maybe?</p><p>He shook his head to clear his mind and started jogging on his way to class. He wasn’t even sure they were friends yet. One thing at a time.</p><hr class="wp-block-separator is-style-wide"/><p>The sun was setting. Videl dragged her heavy feet into her apartment. She couldn’t wait to take off these weights and take a long bath. Training today had been rough. Videl thought the best way to make her ki grow was to go back to basics, so she went for a run first, then she did push-ups, sit-ups and other basic workout exercises which difficulty had increased by a lot because of the weights she was wearing.</p><p>Once in the bathroom, Videl took off the weights first, heaving a sigh of relief as she massaged her sore wrist. She felt so much lighter now, even lighter than before Gohan gave her the weighted wrist and ankle bands. It made sense. That was the whole point of training with such equipment.</p><p>She started a bath and stripped off her sweaty clothes while the big, round tub filled with warm water. She got in even though the tub wasn’t full yet, feeling the water level slowly rise around her body. Videl leaned back and closed her eyes, letting out a tired sigh.</p><p>But soon a smile curled on her lips. She had also been working on her ki for half of her day, going back and forth between workout exercises and ki-training, and she had made a lot of progress since this morning. She couldn’t wait to show Gohan how much she had improved.</p><p>Gohan… Her face felt warmer as she pictured the young man in her head ━ but that was because of the warm water, surely. Her bath was ready, for that matter, so Videl turned off the faucet and sighed in content as she soaked in the warm water.</p><p>Flying with Gohan had been so much fun. She couldn’t wait to be able to fly like that herself. When she asked him to train her yesterday, Videl couldn’t have dreamed to be learning that kind of ability. She couldn’t believe how lucky she was to have come across Gohan, someone who turned out to be even more extraordinary than she initially thought.</p><p>She recalled the look in his eyes when he pulled her against him, his arms around her, holding her close… She flushed and lowered herself in the bath until her mouth was underwater. At that moment… Gohan had been staring at her lips, hadn’t he? The thought made her throat tighten.</p><p>Videl sighed underwater, making bubbles in the bath. She rose and leaned back against the tub, massaging her forehead. She didn’t want to dwell on that right now. She didn’t know Gohan all that well yet, and she wanted to focus on becoming good friends with him and on learning as much as possible from him.</p><p>But she couldn’t help but wonder if it meant what she thought it meant. Gohan was… attracted to her, wasn’t he? When he’d stared at her lips, she thought for sure he was thinking of kissing her.</p><p>Well, she would be lying if she said that her new trainer left her indifferent. He had gentle eyes and a very nice smile, and he was really fun to hang out with, too. </p><p>Videl closed her eyes and smiled to herself as she replayed in her head going flying with Gohan this morning. They had a real blast together, and she was more than eager to go flying with him again.</p><p>She heard a chime coming from her hoodie, signaling that she had a new text. Luckily, she had left her clothes on the counter by the bathtub, so Videl reached out and fished out her water-resistant smartphone.</p><p>Her eyes lit up. It was a text from Gohan.</p><p>
  <em>“Hey, Videl. I hope you didn’t overdo it today? Haha. Anyway, is five good for you tomorrow? I won’t be free before that, sorry.”</em>
</p><p>She grinned as she tapped her response. <em>“No worries, and five works for me, yeah. And no, I didn’t overdo it, but I can’t wait to show you my progress tomorrow!” </em>She added a grinning emoji.</p><p>
  <em>“I’m sure you’re going to blow my mind again, haha.”</em>
</p><p><em>“I guarantee that I will!” </em>She added a smirking emoji, then started writing another text. <em>“So, how was your day?”</em> </p><p>
  <em>“Not over yet. I’m taking a short break then I’m going back to work at the lab. We’re on a deadline for an important client so it’s been pretty hectic lately.”</em>
</p><p>Videl raised her eyebrows at that. Gohan was still at work? <em>“When do you get off?”</em> she asked.</p><p>
  <em>“At eight. Bulma usually throws me out when I lose track of the time at work, haha…”</em>
</p><p>Videl bit her lip in hesitation. Should she go for it…? She didn’t want to sound like she was asking him out, but it would be nice to hang out with someone instead of spending her night alone again. </p><p>She decided to take her shot.</p><p>
  <em>“Do you have dinner plans?”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Not really. Unless planning to go straight home and work on my thesis while eating instant noodles counts?”</em>
</p><p>She chuckled slightly. <em>“You’re not on a deadline for your thesis, are you?”</em></p><p>
  <em>“Nope. I finish it when I finish it. Why do you ask?”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Well, to be honest… I’ve been living in West City for a year now, and you’re the first person I really get along with. I’m not very good at making friends, heh.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Really? But you’re so easy to talk to. I really enjoy spending time with you.”</em>
</p><p>Videl beamed at her phone when she read his message. <em>“Then would you like to hang out with me tonight?”</em></p><p>Her heart was pounding hard as she waited for Gohan’s reply. <em>“Sure!” </em>And then another text followed:<em> “That means we’re friends, right?”</em></p><p>Videl giggled. <em>“That’s what I’m hoping for, yes.”</em></p><p>
  <em>“Good to know. Would you meet me by the entrance of Capsule Corp. at seven-thirty? I’ll get off work earlier than I planned so we don’t have dinner too late.”</em>
</p><p><em>“You spoil me, haha.” </em>She couldn’t stop grinning. <em>“See you there, then.”</em></p><p>
  <em>“I should get back to work. See you in a bit.”</em>
</p><p>Videl was about to put her phone on the counter by the tub but it chimed again. She unlocked her screen and saw that Gohan sent her another text. She went back to the messaging app to open it.</p><p>
  <em>“By the way, don’t put the weights on tonight. I’m sure you’ve trained more than enough today and you’ll be more comfortable for dinner.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“I need to wash them anyway, so I guess it’s better that way.”</em>
</p><p>Videl had to admit, not having to put on the weighted bands on her wrists and ankles was a relief. She didn’t think she overdid her training today, but now that the weights were off, she did not look forward to putting them back on for the rest of the night. </p><p><em>“Okay, good,”</em> Gohan replied, and added a waving hand emoji.</p><p>Videl put her phone away and sat up in the tub to start washing herself. She was meeting Gohan in about an hour and a half, which gave her plenty of time to get ready, but she couldn’t waste it lazing in her bath either. She also needed to find what she was going to wear, and she should probably handwash the weighted bands and hang them to dry before leaving, too, so that they could be ready to be used tomorrow. </p><p>Soon enough, she got out of her bath and dried herself; she twisted her hair in a towel and put on a robe. Then she took the weights and washed them in the sink with water and soap. She wrung the heavy pieces of clothing equipment, before putting them in the laundry basket and stepping out of the bathroom and going to the balcony by the living room where her clothes hanger was. She pinned the humid bands on the thin bars; they should be dry by tomorrow morning, she surmised. Good thing the weather forecasting didn’t announce rain.</p><p>Videl went to her room and opened her closet. Now, what should she wear to meet with Gohan? They were going to dinner, but it was probably going to be somewhere casual. It wasn’t a date, after all.</p><p>As she browsed through her clothes and considered her options, Videl found herself being a lot more picky than usual, and soon a pile of clothes had gathered on her bed. She scratched her cheek, wondering when she had become the kind of girl who fussed about her appearance.</p><p>It was embarrassing to admit, but she did want Gohan to think she looked good. She blushed slightly and rubbed her nose with the back of her forefinger.</p><p>Well, she didn’t deny being attracted to him, so that kind of reaction was to be expected, she supposed. There was nothing wrong with dolling herself up a little more than usual anyway, right?</p><hr class="wp-block-separator is-style-wide"/><p>Bulma was surprised when Gohan told her he was heading out earlier than usual. Gohan couldn’t help blushing when she asked him if he had plans for tonight.</p><p>He scratched the back of his head and gave an awkward chuckle. “Kinda…”</p><p>“Is it a date?” Bulma pried shamelessly, making her employee flush completely. His reaction made his denial hard to believe. The female scientist raised a skeptical eyebrow. “Is that so?”</p><p>“It’s just… dinner with a friend.”</p><p>Bulma smirked. “Is the friend a girl?”</p><p>He hid his crimson face with his large hand. “Don’t you have a lot of guy friends yourself?”</p><p>“I don’t blush when I talk about them though.”</p><p>Gohan sighed in exasperation. “Anyway, she must be waiting for me, so I’ll be on my way.”</p><p>“Oh, are you guys meeting nearby? I’m coming with you!”</p><p>Gohan grumbled to himself, but he couldn’t find any reason for Bulma not to accompany him ━ and he really tried to find one too. So they walked together through the maze-like hallways of Capsule Corp. to get to the front entrance.</p><p>“So, what is she like?” Bulma asked. “How did you meet her? Is she pretty?”</p><p>Gohan sighed deeply. “You’ll be able to judge that yourself when you see her, won’t you?”</p><p>“I guess so. But how did you meet her?”</p><p>He massaged the sore muscle in the back of his neck. “I met her yesterday at the park.”</p><p>Bulma pouted. “You’re not gonna give me any details, are you?”</p><p>“Nope.”</p><p>“Do you like her?”</p><p>Gohan looked away and raised a hand to his mouth, hoping to hide his bright blush, but his embarrassment was evident. Bulma smirked. She nudged him with her elbow and snickered.</p><p>“You do, don’t you?”</p><p>Gohan moved away from her to escape her nudging. He raised his hands in defense. </p><p>“I don’t know,” he said not-so-honestly. “I just met her.”</p><p>“You sure blush a lot when you talk about her though,” Bulma pointed out snidely.</p><p>Gohan sighed and didn’t reply. They were reaching the front entrance anyway, so this interrogation was coming to an end, thankfully.</p><p>He hoped he could hide how much he liked Videl when they met up with her, though… He sighed in resignation. Probably not.</p><p>They stepped outside, then passed the gate; Videl was leaning against the wall connected to it, and she perked up when she saw him.</p><p>Gohan couldn’t help staring as she stepped closer. She had her hair down, the shoulder-length tendrils framing her face in a lovely way. She was wearing a red, fitted, V-neck sweater that showed a bit of cleavage, a golden-brown bomber jacket, dark skinny jeans, and white sneakers.</p><p>She looked… sexy. Very sexy. It suited her, to be dressed like that. It was more feminine and allowed her to show off her athletic and curvy figure.</p><p>“Hey, Gohan,” she greeted him with a shy smile and a slight blush. Then she tilted her head as she looked him over. “You’re wearing a suit again.”</p><p>“I… uh…” He cleared his throat, trying to focus on his answer. “I always wear a suit for work. I dress more casually for class though.”</p><p>She smiled. “Makes sense.”</p><p>“Hello, I’m Bulma!” the blue-haired woman said in enthusiasm, springing out her hand forward. Videl blinked at the famous inventor who seemed to appear out of nowhere and shook her hand dumbly. “I got curious about you when Gohan said he was meeting a friend, and I have to say, I’m not disappointed. You’re even lovelier than I imagined!”</p><p>Videl blushed at the compliment. “Thank you. I’m Videl. It’s an honor to meet you, Dr. Bulma.”</p><p>“Just call me Bulma,” she said while taking a step back. “Well, I’ll leave you kids be. See you tomorrow, Gohan, and have fun, you two!”</p><p>Grateful that his boss wasn’t lingering about, the young man nodded his head and bid her a good night. Bulma skipped away happily while humming to herself.</p><p>Gohan then turned back to Videl and gave a shy smile, rubbing the back of his neck. He blushed. “You… um, you look really nice.”</p><p>She averted her gaze and tucked a few strands behind her ear, her cheeks reddening. “Thanks…”</p><p>“So, um… Shall we go?”</p><p>Without looking at him, Videl nodded her head, and they started walking, side by side. </p><p>“Did you have a place in mind?” she asked. “I don’t live in this area so I wouldn’t know the good places around here.”</p><p>Gohan smiled as he glanced at the young woman, but she was still avoiding his gaze. Or maybe she just preferred walking while looking where she was going. He was probably overthinking this.</p><p>He shouldn’t have complimented the way she looked just now, right? They were just hanging out as friends, and telling her she looked nice, that was something you did when you were on a date, right?</p><p>He hoped the awkwardness would dissolve soon enough. Or maybe he was the only one feeling awkward? His feelings were most likely one-sided anyway. Well, he and Videl only met yesterday, so who knew how things were going to turn out?</p><p>He glanced at her again. His face heated up. She was so pretty. Wearing her hair down really suited her. She had shiny, thick, and slightly wavy hair; it made him want to run his fingers through her silky raven locks.</p><p>Gohan shook his head. </p><p>“There’s a nice place around the corner,” he said, pointing at the direction he meant. “It’s a steakhouse.”</p><p>Videl looked at him and her eyes lit up. “Perfect. A good steak is just what I need after training all day.”</p><p>He gave her a suspicious look. “You did take breaks and drink enough water throughout the day, didn’t you?”</p><p>She rolled her eyes and waved him off. “Yeah, yeah. Do I look dehydrated to you?”</p><p>He cracked a smile. “I guess not.”</p><p>He felt relieved that she wasn’t avoiding his eyes; in the end, it was just in his head like he thought.</p><p>They got to the steakhouse; the hostess led them to a quiet booth in a corner and gave them menus. She blushed when Gohan thanked her with one of his effortlessly charming smiles and awkwardly excused herself.</p><p>Videl watched her new friend in amusement. He was smiling to himself as he browsed through the menu, completely oblivious to the effect he had on the woman.</p><p>Well, Gohan was a very good-looking guy, so that kind of thing probably happened to him all the time. Even she wasn’t indifferent to his boyish charm.</p><p>Videl hadn’t expected him to be that clueless, though. It made her wonder if he ever had a girlfriend before. She honestly couldn’t tell. Either possibility wouldn’t surprise her. If Gohan did have experience with women, though, she imagined that he hadn’t been the one to initiate it. He was way too shy and clueless to actively pursue someone, she was pretty sure.</p><p>“Do you have a girlfriend?” she couldn’t help but ask, too curious to stop herself.</p><p>He flushed and kept his gaze glued to his menu. “No, I don’t.”</p><p>“Sorry if that’s an uncomfortable question. It’s just, you just made the hostess blush and you didn’t even notice, so I got curious.”</p><p>He looked up at her and blinked. “I did what?”</p><p>Videl giggled. “You really are clueless, huh?”</p><p>Gohan blushed and scratched the back of his head. “Can’t argue with that…”</p><p>“Have you had a girlfriend before?”</p><p>He shook his head no and made a face. “Is it weird?”</p><p>Videl shrugged. “I’ve never had a boyfriend either. We’re still young anyway, and we’ve both been focusing on our respective careers to have time for dating.”</p><p>He cracked a smile. “That’s true. You’re already a world-class martial artist and you’re only nineteen.”</p><p>“And you’re the same age and working on your third doctorate.” She grinned. “We’re pretty impressive people, huh?”</p><p>Gohan chuckled in good humor. “Looks like it.”</p><p>Videl picked up her menu and started scanning her options. “Hmm, I think I want a big cheeseburger. What about you?”</p><p>Gohan shifted his attention to the menu. “Yeah, a cheeseburger sounds nice. With some rib steak, and beef steak, and the chicken looks really good too…”</p><p>She stared at him, blinking a few times. “Are you still growing or something? Aren’t you tall enough?”</p><p>He paused to look at her. A blush formed on his cheeks and he let out an embarrassed chuckle. “I just have a big appetite, and a really fast metabolism. I might still be growing though, I’m only nineteen and some men keep growing into their early twenties…” He scratched his cheek. “I haven’t measured myself in a while so I don’t really know.” </p><p>Videl puckered out her lower lip. “So unfair. I haven’t grown an inch since I was fifteen, and I didn’t have that much to work with either.”</p><p>Gohan laughed slightly. “Yeah, I guess it is unfair, but some men aren’t very tall even though they’ve had longer to grow. I think it’s more to do with genes than time.” He tilted his head to the side, his expression innocent and curious. “Did you want to be taller? I think your height suits you. Makes you all the more impressive and badass when you fight big, muscle-bound guys.”</p><p>Videl smiled and blushed at the compliment. “Is that so?”</p><p>Gohan chuckled uneasily. “I thought you looked awesome yesterday at the park, when you were showing the kids self-defense moves on that big guy. I went there to study but I couldn’t help watching your class instead, haha…” He scratched his hair.</p><p>She felt a pang in her chest at the sight of his adorable smile. But before she could dwell on what it means, a waiter came up to them to take their order.</p><p>“You still set on a cheeseburger?” Gohan asked her with a kind smile.</p><p>“Um, yeah.” Her cheeks felt hot.</p><p>Gohan gave his own order, and the waiter didn’t seem surprised by the amount of food Gohan was asking for. Well, it was obviously not Gohan’s first time in this steakhouse, so Videl figured the staff here were used to his big appetite.</p><p>When the waiter left, Gohan turned his attention back to her. His smile never left his face.</p><p>“So, what kind of other hobbies do you have aside from parachute jumping? Are all your hobbies that thrilling?”</p><p>She chuckled. “Most of them, I guess. I enjoy mountain climbing, high rope course, car racing, riding on my motorcycle, but also normal stuff like playing baseball, soccer, football, and all kinds of sports. Oh and paintball too, it’s super fun. That reminds me, I haven’t played in a while.”</p><p>“I never tried. Maybe you could show me what it’s like sometime.”</p><p>Gohan was leaning on his elbow with his chin in his palm, watching her with gentle eyes and a faint blush.</p><p>“I would like that. It would be nice to go with a friend.”</p><p>Why did she feel the need to remind him they were just friends? Was it because it sounded like he was asking her out? Or was it because she wouldn’t have minded at all if he did?</p><p>No. She didn’t have time to date; her priority was to focus on her career.</p><p>But wasn’t this dinner very much like a date? The only difference was what they called it.</p><p>Gohan didn’t seem the least bit put out by her precision, however. He probably didn’t mean anything by it and didn’t see her as more than a friend.</p><p>A particular memory from this morning flashed in her head, reminding her of the way Gohan had stared at her lips when he held her against him. That wasn’t the action of someone who wasn’t interested, was it?</p><p>Looking sideways, Videl tucked a few locks behind her ear and let out a soft sigh. Why was she working herself up over something so silly? She was overthinking everything. Just because her new friend was very attractive didn’t mean they couldn’t stay platonic. And maybe in time, their relationship would evolve naturally, but for now, she was just happy to have a new friend.</p><p>“What about you?” she asked in turn. “What are your hobbies?”</p><p>“Nothing as exciting as yours.” He chuckled. “I like reading and playing with my little brother and his friend. I like exploring nature and playing with animals. I enjoy flying too, obviously.”</p><p>Videl grinned. “Who wouldn’t?”</p><p>“Right?” He scratched behind his ear. “And… I guess that’s it? I mean, I could say I like everything about science but since it’s also the domain of my career, it’s not really a hobby, is it?”</p><p>“It’s nice that you’re so passionate about what you do for a living. We’re lucky that way, you and I.”</p><p>He nodded in agreement.</p><p>“What about martial arts, though?” Videl asked, surprised that he didn’t mention it in his hobbies.</p><p>Gohan gave her an awkward smile. “Honestly, I was never a big fan…”</p><p>She stared at him with wide eyes. “You’re kidding…”</p><p>He scratched his hair with his head tilted. “It’s just, I didn’t really have a choice when I got into it. And I… I don’t like hurting people.”</p><p>“I guess I can understand that. But what do you mean, you didn’t have a choice?” Videl frowned deeply. “Did your parents make you start training without asking you if you liked it? But didn’t you say you were four years old were you learned about ki? It doesn’t add up…”</p><p>“My parents… didn’t really have a say in it either back then.” Gohan sighed tiredly. “It’s a complicated story…  A very, very complicated story, and I don’t feel like getting into it right now, sorry…”</p><p>Videl pursed her lips with a thoughtful look on her face. “I can respect that. It does sound complicated.” She cracked a smile then. “I guess we don’t know each other well enough yet for you to tell me more about that part of your life, huh?”</p><p>Gohan smiled at that, remembering their conversation from the day before at the park. “Thank you for understanding. I appreciate that you’re not trying to pry.”</p><p>“Just trying to be a good friend.”</p><p>“Well, you’re doing very well. I hope I can be a good friend to you too.”</p><p>They shared soft smiles and fond looks. A bond was starting to form between them. Videl was glad she finally made a new friend in this city. It had been a pretty lonely year, but things were finally looking up.</p><p>Their food soon arrived, the waiter having to make several trips to get everything that Gohan ordered. The atmosphere was pleasant and friendly, and the pair kept talking throughout the meal. They laughed, joked together, bantered, but they also addressed more serious issues, especially when the subject of family was brought up.</p><p>“I’m sorry about your mother,” Gohan said with a sad but heartwarming smile. “I lost a parent when I was a kid too; my dad. I miss him so much.”</p><p>“Kinda not something you’d like to have in common with a friend, huh?” she said with a somber laugh.</p><p>“But it’s nice to have someone who gets it, what it’s like.”</p><p>Videl hummed in agreement. She looked out the window; the streets were quieting down. She wondered what time it was, it was probably getting late, but at the same time she couldn’t care less.</p><p>“What was she like? Your mother,” Gohan inquired.</p><p>A melancholic smile formed on her lips as she thought of her mom. “She loved singing, and she was a very successful singer. Her career was really important to her, and she didn’t stop working after she and my dad had me. And with my dad being… who he is, well, neither of them had much time for me. I was raised by a nanny, mostly.”</p><p>“That sounds a little lonely.”</p><p>She shrugged, glancing back at him. “It was, sometimes, because I would miss them, but my nanny was great. I’m still really close to her even though I’m all grown up now.”</p><p>Gohan put his elbow on the table and leaned his chin into his palm, a gentle smile playing on his lips. “I have someone like that, too. He took care of me when my parents couldn’t, and he’s also the one who taught me how to fight. He’s a very dear friend to me.”</p><p>“Ohhh, more info about how you got into martial arts.” Videl grinned playfully. “Does that mean we’re getting close enough for you to tell me the whole story?”</p><p>He gave a laugh. “Not yet, but we will be soon enough, I’m sure. Be patient, I promise the story will be worth it.”</p><p>She laughed in good humor. “Alright then.”</p><p>They continued talking even long after they were done with dessert, not in any rush to end this night. They were having such a pleasant time that they didn’t even notice that everyone around them was leaving and that the staff had already started cleaning the tables.</p><p>Eventually, their waiter came up to them to let them know they were closing. Gohan looked at his watch and blinked. </p><p>“Wow, it’s already that late?”</p><p>“Time really flies when you have fun, huh?” Videl said with a fond smile. Gohan’s eyes softened as he quietly agreed.</p><p>They split the check and left the steakhouse. Walking side by side in the streets, the air was peaceful and calm in the late hour.</p><p>“Can you take me to that roof over there?” Videl asked, pointing at a nearby skyscraper. “I want to show you something.”</p><p>Gohan raised an eyebrow. “Oh?”</p><p>She grinned. “I <em>was</em> going to show you tomorrow, but I figure I might as well show you now.” She tilted her head with a slight frown. “Unless you have to go? Do you have an early day tomorrow?”</p><p>He waved her off. “I’ll be fine, and you got me curious. Come on, let’s move out of sight so I can fly us up there.”</p><p>He took her hand and pulled her with him, going to a deserted alley. Videl found herself blushing at the simple gesture. It felt oddly intimate, holding hands with Gohan like this.</p><p>When they got out of sight, he let go of her hand and picked her up, carrying her in his arms like a princess. Videl swallowed; in this position, Gohan’s handsome face was way, <em>way</em> too close. She could smell his aftershave, mixed with his natural scent. It was having all kinds of effects on her, and her heart seemed to think it meant it had to run a marathon for some reason.</p><p>Gohan shot her a sheepish smile, before raising his head and taking off; his speed was such that it took them just a few seconds to reach the top of the skyscraper.</p><p>He landed and gently put her down. Videl’s blush didn’t recede as she stepped back from him, and she found herself avoiding his gaze.</p><p>“So, what did you want to show me?” Gohan asked, reminding her of the reason why she asked him to bring her on this rooftop.</p><p>“Oh, right.” She scratched her hair, feeling awkward and self-conscious of his gaze on her. Videl shook her head to clear her thoughts and stood tall, her brow furrowing in concentration.</p><p>Gohan watched her with interest. He could feel Videl gather her ki, and he was impressed at how quickly she was doing it. He raised an eyebrow as he sensed her direct her energy downward, beneath her feet…</p><p>He gaped. “No way…”</p><p>And yet, here she was, floating a good two feet off the ground. His gaze traveled from the empty space below her sneakers, up her legs, along her torso, until it reached her focused face. Her raven tendrils were dancing about her head, her ki creating a soft wind around her. The vision was enchanting.</p><p>Videl slowly lowered herself and blew out a long breath. Then she looked up at him and grinned proudly. “So? Pretty neat, huh?”</p><p>“I… I don’t know what to say.” He chuckled, shaking his head in disbelief. “How did you even know how to do that?”</p><p>Videl smirked and crossed her arms. “You mentioned that to fly, I would have to push my ki below me and use it to lift myself up, so that’s what I did.” </p><p>“And you managed to teach yourself how to fly just from that?” Gohan laughed heartily, throwing his head back. “Well, I’ll be damned. I was right ━ you really did blow my mind!”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Started something new to get out of my writer's block. Had this idea running around in my head for a while anyway, so I figured I might as well put it down on paper. Hope you liked the first chapter, and I would appreciate some feedback! See you soon. :)</p><p>PS: I'm currently looking for a beta reader so if anyone's interested, it would help me out a lot.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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